[Shawna]

I need a new cordless phone and I'm wondering if I have to worry about the new phone interfering with my 802.11b wireless network. I think it's 2.4ghz and a lot of phones also seem to be 2.4ghz. Does anyone have any experience with this?


Thanks,


S

 

[JDLIVE]

Shouldn't be a problem, 802.11b uses 11 different channels from 2.412 GHz - 2.462 GHz and most phones also allow you to choose which channel to use. So you should be able to avoid any conflicts. I have both working without any issues.

 

[windtrader]

I beleive some of the early 2.4gHz phones did have interference problems. The newer designs fixed this and some have stickers stating such.


There are other sources that create intererence. One of the big ones is a microwave oven. When mine is on, the various 2.4ghz wireless phones all get a lot of static. Other appliances will also glitch wireless signals.

 

[benwaggoner]

I had the early Siemens 2.4 phones, and they'd freak out if I was using WiFi at the same time. Network speeds would also drop. And of course Microwaves messed them up. I've since switched to the new Uniden 5.6's, which are great, and nothing other than range seems to mess them up.

 

[NRG]

you can try and change the channel on the router.

 

[dmwierz]

Many routers allow you to add "robustenss" to their set-up, at the cost of speed. However, I have a new Apple Airport Base Station Extreme with my Powerbook, and a new cordless phone handset, and if i'm too close to the Powerbook while using our cordleess phone, there is interference enough where the Wifi netwrok bogs WAY down in speed our even stops working. I can even watch the signal strength decrease as I speak on the phone. YMMV.

 

[Shawna]

Thanks everybody I guess I'll just get a phone that I can return if there are problems.


S

 

[schulzpm]

You could look at either a 5.8GHz phone or look at upgrading your wireless to 802.11a. That would keep them completely away from each other. I used to have a 2.4GHz wireless phone and had a lot of problems with it. I bought a 5.8 phone and now it works great.

 

[dmwierz]

Quote:

Originally posted by schulzpm You could look at either a 5.8GHz phone or look at upgrading your wireless to 802.11a. That would keep them completely away from each other. I used to have a 2.4GHz wireless phone and had a lot of problems with it. I bought a 5.8 phone and now it works great.

"Upgrade" to 802.11a? That would be about a -4 year DOWNgrade, no? I don't even think anyone sells 802.11a anymore, do they?

 

[ArtT]

If you are like many folks (myself included), you've got several cordless phones of varying vintage around the house. I don't know which one is doing it, but occasionally when the phone rings I lose my connection. Most of the 2.4 phones randomly pick a channel. If it is the one your router is set for, it will disrupt your network while you are on the phone. This isn't a problem often, and newer phones may not do this. I haven't gone through my phones to figure out which one it is, though. (I've got a siemens, two vtechs, a lucent, and a new uniden.) That being said, this is an only occasional problem and it sounds like it won't be a problem with newer routers (mine is a year old "g" one) and phones.

Hope this helps.

Art

 

[VisionxOrb]

802.11a would be a downgrade considering the new 802.11n is coming ( belkin has the pre stuff coming out in november i think ) that is a true 135 mbps not the fake turbo pump 54g wanna be 108 stuff thats out there now which will be backwars compatible with the b and g spec.


just get a digital 900 or a 5.8 phone.

 

[Karyk]

Just get a 900 mhz phone. They have better range through objects anyway. I think the higher frequencies are mainly a marketing issue with people thinking bigger number is better. The only problem is that we're probably to the point where getting a full feature phone means one that's 2.4, so you might have to go 5.8.

 

[RalphArch]

I have a number of 2.4 wireless phones and also just went with vongage and its 2.4 giga hz VOIP access point along with buying an att extendable 3 phone setup to replace the wired phone network.


I also have a wireless print server that doesn't work too well. When I was troubleshooting with the dlink support staff they were recommending I get rid of the 2.4 gHz phones.


I can't tell if my occasoinal failure to get wireless working is related to conflicts between the phones and the network - but I am wondering if saving the $50 on the 2.4 gHz phones was false economy.


I would suspect it is generally a good idea to avoid this frequency if you are using a wireless network and buying new. But mine does seem to work most of the time (notwithstanding a hard-wired wireless capable print server)

 

[Bob Sorel]

Sorry, but this off topic thread has been up for long enough now. This question is better addressed in one of the many general computer tech forums on the net.


Thread closed.